Improvement in kilns for drying hops



L. V. RISLEY. Kiln for Drying Hops.

No. 220,989. Patented 061,28, 1879.

UNITED STATES` lil' PATENT OEEIcE.

LEWIS V. RISLEY, OF NHVV HARTFORD, N EW YORK, ASSIGN OR OF vON E-HALF OF HIS RlGHT TO NATHAN S. HAYES, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT INA KlLNSv-FOR DRYING HOPS.v

I Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,989, dated October 28, 1879; application filed July 7, 1879.

To all whom it may` concern Be it known `@hat l, LEWIS V. RISLEY, of New Hartford, iii the county of Oneida,tin the State of New York, have invented new and usefullm provemen ts in Kilns forDryin gHops, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to im proved means for regulating the temperature and currents of air in hop-kilns during the process of drying and curing hops; and it consists, cl1ieiiy,in an irnproved arrangement, with a hop-kiln, of the inlets for the exterior air relative to the floor of the kiln, and to the furnace or heating apparatus, by which arrangement all moisture is eliminated from the air admitted into the kiln,

. and only dry and moderately-heated air is allowed to pass through the drying-floor, thus facilitating the circulation of said air through the hops and accelerating the drying and curing process, and materiallyT improving its results.

It also consists in the combinatiomwith a hop-kiln having a furnace on its ground-licor y and the inlets of air nearly or quite on a level with the top of the furnace, of a pipe leading from near the floor of said compartment to the chimney or line receiving the products of combustion from the furnace, by means ot' which the moisture eliminated from the air is utilized to promote combustion, its accumulation in the kiln prevented, and at the same time the draft of the furnace and the tempera-ture of the kiln regulated and it furthermore consists in the combination and arrangement, with the lower compartment of a hop-kiln, of adjustable transverse cold-air inlets in the sides of the kiln -betweeu the heating-pipes and drying-Hoor,

whereby the drying process can be readily arrested at the proper time, and the hops cooled before removing them from the kiln, all arranged and combined to operate substantially as hereinafter more fully described.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of-a hop-kiln provided with my improvements; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of same, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section on line :v a'.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the main frame or structure of the hop-kiln, constructed in the usual manner and of the ordinary form and dimensions, generall y having posts about twentyfeet in height. About fifteen feet above the ground-floor is arranged the drying-floor B, usually formed of cleats or strips of wood laid short distances apart across joists, and covered with burlaps or other suitable material to support the hops to be dried. i

O represents the furnace or stove usually employed for generating the heat requisite for the drying process. The said furnace is, generally placed near the center of the groundfloor, and the products of combustion are conducted to the chimney or ue D by means of Vertical pipes a a, connected with circuitous or serpentine horizontal pipes c c', arranged in the vicinity of, and a proper and safe distance below, the drying-floor, and communicating with the chimney D.

The air necessary to the drying process has heretofore been admitted to the kiln through openings in the'base of the vertical sides of the building and allowed unimpeded circulation in the lower compartment of the kiln. The result of this was that the current created by the heat radiating from the furnace caused the air to pass from its ingress along the bot.- tom of the kiln directly to the furnace. By impin ging the heated exterior ofthe latter, the air, together with its accompanying moisture or aqueous vapor, became heated and ascended to the dryingchamber above, and carried through the hops not only the moisture naturally attending the air, but also that which may rise from the bottom of the kiln, thereby greatly retarding the drying or curing process and impairing the commercial value ot' the hops.

l To obviate these injurious effects I provide each of the openings c with an upward-deflecting case or flue, b, on the inside of the kiln, which lues have their discharge end nearly or quite on a level with the top .of the furnace, or sufficiently above the ground-Hoor to prevent the cool, damp air which naturally rests at the bottom of the kiln from being disturbed by and commingled with the current of fresh air.

To regulate the ingress ot the fresh air l provide the discharge end ot' said flues with a valve or damper, d, which is hinged horizontally to the side of the kiln, and thus, when opened, serves to deflect the current oi' fresh air toward the center of the kiln and cause it to become thoroughly diffused over the heating apparatus. By its circulation over the calm stratum of cold air the moisture accompanying the fresh air becomes condensed and is caused to descend to the bottom of the kiln, which thus becomes a reservoir for the moistnre, and is designated as such by the letter R in the drawings.

All moisture being thus eliminated from the current ot' air ere its reaches the vicinity of the heated pipes a', the light dry air rapidly ascends, circulates freely around the said pipes, and permeates thoroughly and at a moderate temperature through the hops in the chamber above. In its passage through the latter it absorbs the moisture of the hops and carries it oft through the ventilator above. By this means the stratum of hops under treatment is dried and cured uniformily throughout, and, being thus maintained loose and light, the circulation of the air is facilitated and the process materially expedited.

rlhe moisture in the reservoir It, before described, is drawn into the furnace or stove C by the natural draft thereof, and thus utilized to promote combustion in same. To guard against accumulation of moisture, I provide an extra ventiduct in the form ot' a pipe, E, having a funnel-shaped mouth on the ground- 'loor of the kiln in the vicinity of the furnace C, and its opposite end communicating with the chimney or fine D. A valve, c, is connected with the pipe E for the purpose of controlling lthe exhaust through same. The described arrangement of the pipe E, with its valve c, furnishes an efficient meansfor regulating the temperature of the kiln, inasmuch as the opening and closing of the valve yv attects the draft of the furnace.

To guard against excessive drying and bleaching of the hops without the necessity of removing the same from the drying-chamber of the kiln while yet hot, as has been customary heretofore, I provide apertures F in the side of the kiln, communicating with the space between the pipe a and the drying-floor B, for the purpose of admitting fresh air thereto. The ingress of the air is regulated and its course directed by means of valves u, pivotcd horizontally in the openin gs. By opening these ventilators and closing the draft ot' the furnace the drying process is at once arrested and the hops cooled rapidly and uniformly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a hop -kiln provided at its base with the openings e c, ofthe fines b I), connected with said openings, and having their discharge end nearly or quite on a level. with the furnace, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. rIhc combination, With a hop-kiln provided at its base with the openings c c, of the :dues b I), connected with said openings, and having their discharge end nearly or quite on alevel with the top of the furnace, and the valves d d, hinged horizontally to the side of the kiln, all arranged to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a hopkiln having a furnace on its ground -iioor and the inlets of air nearly or quite on a level with the top of the furnace, in the manner described, the pipe E, extended from the ground-floor to the chimney which receives the products of combustion from the furnace, and provided with the valve c, all substantially in the manner specied and shown, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with a hopkiln provided I at its base with a furnace having its smoke fines or pipes arranged horizontally underneath the drying-Hoor in the lnanner described, the apertures F in the sides of the kiln, communicating with the space between the pipes a and drying-licor, and the valves n, pivotcd horizontally in said apertures, substantially as described and shown, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto signed my name and afiixed 1n y seal in the presence of two attesting witnesses at Utica, in the county ot' Oneida and State of New York, this 13th day of June, 1879.

LElVIS V. RISLEY.

XVitIiesses:

JOHN GARRETT, IRA C. POTTER. 

